Rok Hollywood – Believin’ It

Indiana-based band Rok Hollywood brings melodic rock and great guitar riffs to the world of rock. Reminiscence of the great music from the ‘80s. I recently had an opportunity to speak with Daren and David from the band (who just happen to be twin brothers).

Daren and David have been playing music since they were 11 years old, and have never looked back. In junior high, Daren started playing the drums, and David began playing the trumpet until he moved on to the guitar in 8th grade. Their first talent show was performing in a jazz band. “We had some friends playing in a rock band during the talent show, so we decided that we would come back the next year and perform in a rock band,” they said.

The first concert they attended was KISS, and it made a huge difference in their lives. “KISS was our Beatles,” they said. Other early musical influences include Van Halen and Aerosmith. The brothers also mentioned RATT, Motley Crue, and Cinderella as later influences.

Rok Hollywood was formed in 2002, and there have been different versions of the band, however, this version of the band has been performing together since 2008. Daren and David wanted to do something different because everyone else was playing alternative music. They are definitely doing what makes them happy, which is the main ingredient for great success. Daren explains, “We won’t give up in what we believe in.”

The band has performed with Poison and Def Leppard numerous times, as well as Cinderella, Skid Row, RATT, Dokken, Warrant, Bang Tango, L.A. Guns, 3 Doors Down and Black Stone Cherry, just to name a few. When Rok Hollywood first started performing, they played a lot of covers, but as the band evolved, they added more original songs to their sets.

Over the years, Rok Hollywood has had many things to be proud of and they have had many great memories. When asked about their most memorable moments, David mentioned performing their first show with the band’s current lineup at the Whisky in Los Angeles on June 26, 2008. Daren said, “My most memorable moments have been performing at Cruefest, and playing shows at our local amphitheater.” The Cruefest, he refers to are benefit shows in Los Angeles in honor of the Skylar Neil Foundation.

Their two favorite songs to perform live are Deep Inside and Breaking The Cycle because David “likes the guitar riff, the vibe, and the fact that it has a heavier feel to it.”

The band is currently working on a CD that they expect to be released in April of this year. They are also working on touring plans for the spring and summer. Be sure to keep a lookout for this band, as they undoubtedly have great things on the horizon for rock fans across the U.S.

The guys have a message for their fans: “Thank you for everything. We really appreciate your support. People have gone out of their way to support us. Fans make all the difference.”